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Barely twelve months afterwards, he scorched show court number 12 at Wimbledon with a 133 mph serve in the junior event, still the quickest ever to have troubled the speed gun at that level.

When he reached the last eight in Melbourne six months later, and won the doubles title there, he excited thoughts that Britain might have had a rare talent on its hands.

The eventual trajectory of his fledgling senior career – winning one lower level professional singles title and nine of them when playing in tandem – suggested that he could have a solid future at least as a doubles specialist.

The 22-year-old is studying for a Sports Science and Management degree at Loughborough

Yet this summer he decided to go back to his other sporting love, and progress has been quick. Two months after starting to play seriously with childhood club Derby Trailblazers he was spotted by the Riders, and will now play basketball alongside with studying for a Sports Science and Management degree at Loughborough.

'I've no regrets, I saw the world with tennis and had some fantastic times, but perhaps people don't understand how brutal a sport it is to succeed in,' he said when we met in the Students' Union.

'I gave it my best shot but maybe I'm lucky that I've got something else that I love playing, and I've learned that you have got to concentrate on one particular sport.'

If Ward-Hibbert does pause for thought, it is to think that he might have been a role model for those from what might be termed a non-traditional tennis background.

Both his parents are social workers, and he was never a member of a conventional tennis club. One of his longstanding friends from childhood is Jamaal Lascelles, the Newcastle United footballer, who was also a useful basketball player.

The physically imposing Ward-Hibbert was once named England under-16 player of the year

'I would really like to have been that role model and I think I would have been able to handle that, I would have relished it but I don't think I ever got far enough to be into that position,' he admits.

'I always loved both sports. I took them very seriously, my final basketball tournament was for England age group a year young. Then I decided I had to give tennis one hundred per cent.

'I had a great time in tennis, I wouldn't have missed it. I trained at the Soto academy in Spain from 15 on and off. The set-up there was amazing. My parents made a lot of sacrifices for which I'm very grateful. I always tried to look on the LTA and any funding from them as just a bonus, not something you should rely on, I've no complaints.'

Ward-Hibbert was on friendly terms with Nick Kyrgios, who he beat in doubles, and another regular opponent was another current top twenty player, Frenchman Lucas Pouille.

'Making the top ten in juniors was a memorable thing because I was never ranked high when I was younger. Winning a Grand Slam junior doubles and my one singles title in Tunisia, these are things that nobody can take from me.

The looming Australian Open will rekindle memories for basketball star Ward-Hibbert

'When people only watch Wimbledon and the top level they probably don't appreciate how tough it is to get there and everything that comes with it. I once spent three weeks on my own in India – Calcutta, Chandigarh, New Delhi.

'There were six hour journeys on overcrowded buses to the hotel, and when I got there my door had been kicked in and where there was meant to be an air conditioning unit in the window there was just a hole.

'There were some tough times but great times as well, travelling my coach Dan Kiernan with mates like Liam Broady.

'But I made the decision to stop five months ago. I'd had a tough time with an injured shoulder and that commitment you need in your mind. You can't do tennis halfheartedly. Holidays, birthdays, Christmas - it's a lifestyle you have to live and breathe.'

So he went back to his old sporting childhood haunt in Derby. 'I got straight in the first team, they knew I could play but I had a lot to catch up on. I had a couple of good games. Maybe I was in the right place at the right time but it has all happened much quicker than I expected.

'I'm a Shooting Guard, but I'd like to think I'm versatile and I will play anywhere. The Riders have got great facilities and some very good players, American and Swedish professionals. I'm very excited about it. I think there is a lot of improvement in me as I haven't played seriously in a long time. At the moment I've got to focus on working hard and see what happens.

'Although the two sports are very different I think a lot of my skills from tennis are transferable. I can also pursue my education – one way or another I feel like I've already had a lot of experience in life.'